The Rejected Luna.

thing but a shadow, an afterthought. The pain was raw, sharp, and immediate-a knife twist of rejection that felt even worse in

lt oppressive, the faint sounds of the few remaining partygoers like a distant reminder of her own isolation. She kn

spered to herself. "You can

and the need to scream. She clenched her fists, nails biting into her palms

mil

ding a few feet away. His brown eyes were filled with pity, and that made it worse. He'd always been

" he asked, st

she forced a smile, a thin, brittle thing that she knew d

hing more, but he must have seen the exhaustion in her eyes, the plea for s

t him off gently.

ht better of it. With one last lingering look, he

h step felt heavier than the last, her body dragging as if the rejection had turned her bones to lea

. Tonight, though, it felt like a prison. The moonlight streamed in through the window, casting long s

ant to give Joffrey the satisfaction of knowing he'd broken her. But the tears came anyway, hot and silent, traci

ther, taken years ago when Camille was just a child. Her mother's smile was warm, her eyes ki

red, tracing the edge of the frame with her fi

ling. Camille let out a shuddering sigh, wiping the tears from her face. She couldn't stay like

ey didn't want her, then she wouldn't stay and let him and the other

lothes, her hands moving quickly as if they had a mind of their own. She didn

her door, startling her. She froze, her heart leap

le, it

r. Her friend stood there, her expression a mix of worry and determina

nnah asked quietly, her eyes dar

d. "I have to. I can't stay he

th emotion. "I figured you might feel that way. S

urrowed. "What d

we've heard about. He helps people like you, like us. His name is Adrian. He

contacted a rogue? Are you in

fierce. "I couldn't just stand by and do nothi

y do it-to trust a stranger, a rogue, of all things. But what choice did she have? Stay h

her voice barely

e edge of the forest, by the old bridge. Bu

over her shoulder and turned to Hannah, pulling her into

're my sister," she said, her voice thick wit

the door. The packhouse was quiet, the shadows long and deep as she made her way out

paths even in the darkness. The sound of the river grew louder as

dark hair and piercing green eyes that seemed to see straight through her. He look

e," he said, his vo

unable to fi

ed. "Hannah told me abou

. This was it-her chance to escape, to start over. She didn't k

," she said, h

he turned and led her into the night, away from

ng time, Camille felt somethin